[Nicaragua] Happiness in Las Penitas – ocean, turtles and holidays

Las Penitas, Nicaragua at the Pacific coast

Anyone who has traveled longer than a month, or two, maybe three… knows. In such a trip you need holidays. Nothing surprising as travelling can be very tiring too.

In our case, we had our holidays in Las Penitas, Nicaragua, Pacific Coast. We focused on late breakfasts, sea and swimming pool baths, fresh fruits as snacks and amazing sunsets.

We also had a chance to visit Isla Juan Venado reserve and we read “The art of happiness. Handbook for life” – Dalajlama XIV, Howard C. Cutler

The art of happiness in a hammock – made in Nicaragua

What is necessary to be happy? The source of happiness is usually having good health, high economic status and good friends. Dalai Lama claims, however, that to be happy is not enough to achieve the above. Happiness is determined more by one’s state of mind than by external events.

Together with Davis, we are very lucky to be happy. We loved our jobs and flat on 4th floor , no elevator. We loved our life in Warsaw, discovering new places and events we felt good. And thanks to that we had enough courage to go for one year trip. A journey whose first stage is coming to an end, here in Nicaragua. A new stage in La Reunion is ahead of us …

Release of baby turtles: a beautiful natural show in Nicaragua

Yes, release. Because to give them a chance to survive you need to take care of them first.

Along the Pacific coast there are a lot of organisations that protect the wildlife. We visited a community located in reserve of Isla Juan Venado. People involved in this project, collect the eggs laid down by females turtles on the beach during the night. Thanks to that, they protect them from birds, crabs, dogs and the biggest threat – a human being. People recognized turtles eggs as an aphrodisiac, their price came so high that they just still the eggs from the reserve.

The organization is located at the beach. They keep the eggs for about 55 days and after hatching off, the small babies turtles are release to the ocean.

During the night the employee and volunteers patrol the beach and look after the safety of tortoises laying their eggs.

What you can do, as a tourist?

You can become a volunteer in such an organization. Main duties are patrolling the beach, taking care of the eggs and organizing events with the tourists – for example release the babies to the ocean and raising awarness about the phenomena and risks.

You can also buy a trip to the reserve. You can go over there with a fisherman from Las Penitas or by the kayak. During this tour you will see mangroves full of birds and maybe crocodiles. But the main attraction will be for sure the contact with the small turtles, which you will carry to the right place on the beach for the rest of their trip… to life hopefully.

The cost for 3 hours tour in December 2017 is more or less 20 dolars per person, including ticket to the reserve and guide.

According to scientist, only 1-2 turtles per 100 will survive to an adult age. In Isla Juan Venado only this year, in the period August-November, 18000 turtles were released into the ocean. We wish them all the best!

The Isla Juan Venado Reserve has been created 15 years ago. While the organization of the place and the beach itself look very good, we could feel lack of scientific data and specialist who would be able to check the efficieny of these operations. We wish the community that.

And what about you and your happiness? You are looking for, you found or maybe you forgot? Have you ever thought about doing something for the next generation? Believe us. This feeling, when you hold in your hands a wild creature whose gens remember the age of the dinosaur, and the awarness that what you are doing may make the not disappear from the planet… This is the feeling of true happinness.

We are Ela & David, 2 citizens of the world. In quest of a new way of living, more respectful from the environment and the Humans, we travel slowly to discover new cultures, to look for inspirations and with a wish of sharing. Wants to know more?

We travel with Hopineo, an online platform dedicated to the co-construction of a better world through a responsible and sustainable tourism. Discover Hopineo.